Heir and Pride

Chapter Three

Stoick cast his brother a thoughtful glance as he joined the council in the Great Hall. Spitelout nodded cheerily and took the plaudits of the other villagers with good humour. In truth, he had derived rather more enjoyment in beating Hiccup that was decent but the boy had been a thorn in the village's side for so many years that it felt good to take action.

    

"Well done!"

    

"That needed doing!"

    

"Maybe he'll finally learn!"

    

"Doubt he'll be sitting for a week!"

    

"Is he alright?' Stoick asked softly.

    

"Weeping like a girl but yes, though they're right, he won't be sitting down any time soon," Spitelout told him. "Haven't had to thrash my boy like that. Ever." Stoick sighed, dismissing any more thoughts if the boy in favour of his job.

    

"We need to search for the nest!" the Chief announced, stabbing his finger at the map. To the northeast, there as the permanently mist-shrouded region known as 'Helheim's Gate' which was certainly where the nest was located. But no ship had ever returned from the area. "We can't sustain these raids. We will starve! So one more search before the ice sets in!"

    

The protests were to be expected, the cries of men and women who knew the history of expeditions to Helheim's Gate but Stoick answered all queries with calm reason. He knew they would go, because they were Vikings and Vikings hated sitting passively accepting their fate. Death was an occupational hazard. "Anyone who stays behind can look after Hiccup!" he announced and there was an immediate clamour of volunteers to  go on the expedition. Spitelout leaned closer.

    

"Are you sure you want come, brother?" he asked. Stoick nodded.

    

"I have to be there," he said heavily. "This is my war." His brother nodded. "Start preparing the ships!" As his brother left swiftly and the hall emptied, he turned to the one person still sitting calmly.

    

"I'll pack my undies," Gobber assured him.

   

"I need you here, training new recruits," Stoick told him gruffly. Gobber gave a grin and sipped from his mug of ale.

    

"And while I'm training the recruits, Hiccup can mind the store. Plenty of time to himself, lots of sharp objects, what could possibly go wrong?" His tone oozed sarcasm. Stoick glanced at him: Gobber knew his son better than Stoick himself did.

    

"What am I going to do with him?" he asked his friend. Gobber stared at his mug and sighed.

     

"Allowing Spitelout to beat him so publicly wasn't the right answer," he said slowly.

     

"But his disobedience needed to be punished!" Stoick argued. "The village demanded..."

    

"Then you should have done it!" Gobber told him. Stoick frowned.

    

"With my injuries..."